An Upstate city manager is hoping a new proposal will stop police officers from leaving the force.

Over the past six years, 47 out of 95 Anderson police officers have left the department, according to numbers from the police department.

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"I don't mind saying our biggest competition is right down the road at Anderson County. An officer can leave here, not have to relocate their family. The pay is very similar, but the difference is the take home vehicle," said Anderson City Manager John Moore. "What we find is that our average tenure is very, very low."

Moore is proposing to Anderson City Council that officers who live within the boundaries of Anderson County be assigned a patrol car, and be able to take that car home at night. Now, only officers who live in the city limits of Anderson are allowed to go home with a city car.

"This is the make sure we stay competitive on recruiting, and retaining good police officers. And right now we judge that the city of Anderson is at a disadvantage," said Moore.

Moore said the proposal would cost between $50,000 and $80,000 in fuel alone each year, but said the police department already has money in the budget to cover it.

"In this current budget, we have funds left over, or we're going to have a surplus in the police department because of vacancies," said Moore. "Monies that we budgeted for salaries aren't being spent now because there have been (job) openings."